some place of entertainment long since passed away。 But our main
discovery was in a kind of iron safe fixed to the wall； the lock of
which it cost us much trouble to get picked。
In this safe were three shelves and two small drawers。 Ranged on
the shelves were several small bottles of crystal； hermetically
stopped。 They contained colorless； volatile essences； of the
nature of which I shall only say that they were not poisons；
phosphor and ammonia entered into some of them。 There were also
some very curious glass tubes； and a small pointed rod of iron；
with a large lump of rock crystal； and another of amber；also a
loadstone of great power。
In one of the drawers we found a miniature portrait set in gold；
and retaining the freshness of its colors most remarkably；
considering the length of time it had probably been there。 The
portrait was that of a man who might be somewhat advanced in middle
life； perhaps forty…seven or forty…eight。 It was a remarkable
face；a most impressive face。 If you could fancy some mighty
serpent transformed into man； preserving in the human lineaments
the old serpent type； you would have a better idea of that
countenance than long descriptions can convey： the width and
flatness of frontal； the tapering elegance of contour disguising
the strength of the deadly jaw； the long； large； terrible eye；
glittering and green as the emerald；and withal a certain ruthless
calm； as if from the consciousness of an immense power。
Mechanically I turned round the miniature to examine the back of
it； and on the back was engraved a pentacle； in the middle of the
pentacle a ladder； and the third step of the ladder was formed by
the date 1765。 Examining still more minutely； I detected a spring；
this； on being pressed； opened the back of the miniature as a lid。
Within…side the lid were engraved； 〃Marianna to thee。 Be faithful
in life and in death to 。〃 Here follows a name that I will not
mention； but it was not unfamiliar to me。 I had heard it spoken of
by old men in my childhood as the name borne by a dazzling
charlatan who had made a great sensation in London for a year or
so； and had fled the country on the charge of a double murder
within his own house；that of his mistress and his rival。 I said
nothing of this to Mr。 J； to whom reluctantly I resigned the
miniature。
We had found no difficulty in opening the first drawer within the
iron safe； we found great difficulty in opening the second： it was
not locked； but it resisted all efforts； till we inserted in the
chinks the edge of a chisel。 When we had thus drawn it forth； we
found a very singular apparatus in the nicest order。 Upon a small；
thin book； or rather tablet； was placed a saucer of crystal； this
saucer was filled with a clear liquid；on that liquid floated a
kind of compass； with a needle shifting rapidly round； but instead
of the usual points of a compass were seven strange characters； not
very unlike those used by astrologers to denote the planets。 A
peculiar but not strong nor displeasing odor came from this drawer；
which was lined with a wood that we afterwards discovered to be
hazel。 Whatever the cause of this odor； it produced a material
effect on the nerves。 We all felt it； even the two workmen who
were in the room；a creeping； tingling sensation from the tips of
the fingers to the roots of the hair。 Impatient to examine the
tablet； I removed the saucer。 As I did so the needle of the
compass went round and round with exceeding swiftness； and I felt a
shock that ran through my whole frame； so that I dropped the saucer
on the floor。 The liquid was spilled； the saucer was broken； the
compass rolled to the end of the room； and at that instant the
walls shook to and fro； as if a giant had swayed and rocked them。
The two workmen were so frightened that they ran up the ladder by
which we had descended from the trapdoor； but seeing that nothing
more happened； they were easily induced to return。
Meanwhile I had opened the tablet： it was bound in plain red
leather； with a silver clasp； it contained but one sheet of thick
vellum； and on that sheet were inscribed； within a double pentacle；
words in old monkish Latin； which are literally to be translated
thus： 〃On all that it can reach within these walls； sentient or
inanimate； living or dead； as moves the needle； so works my will！
Accursed be the house； and restless be the dwellers therein。〃
We found no more。 Mr。 J burned the tablet and its anathema。
He razed to the foundations the part of the building containing the
secret room with the chamber over it。 He had then the courage to
inhabit the house himself for a month； and a quieter； better…
conditioned house could not be found in all London。 Subsequently
he let it to advantage； and his tenant has made no complaints。
A drowning man clutching at a strawsuch is Dr。 Fenwick； hero of
Bulwer…Lytton's 〃Strange Story〃 when he determines to lend himself
to alleged 〃magic〃 in the hope of saving his suffering wife from
the physical dangers which have succeeded her mental disease。 The
proposition has been made to him by Margrave； a wanderer in many
countries； who has followed the Fenwicks from England to Australia。
Margrave declares that he needs an accomplice to secure an 〃elixir
of life〃 which his own failing strength demands。 His mysterious
mesmeric or hypnotic influence over Mrs。 Fenwick had in former days
been marked； and on the basis of this undeniable fact； he has
endeavored to show that his own welfare and Mrs。 Fenwick's are； in
some occult fashion； knit together； and that only by aiding him in
some extraordinary experiment can the physician snatch his beloved
Lilian from her impending doom。
As the first chapter opens； Fenwick is learning his wife's
condition from his friend； Dr。 Faber。
Bulwer…Lytton
The Incantation
I
〃I believe that for at least twelve hours there will be no change
in her state。 I believe also that if she recover from it； calm and
refreshed； as from a sleep； the danger of death will have passed
away。〃
〃And for twelve hours my presence would be hurtful？〃
〃Rather say fatal； if my diagnosis be right。〃
I wrung my friend's hand； and we parted。
Oh； to lose her now； now that her love and her reason had both
returned； each more vivid than before！ Futile； indeed； might be
Margrave's boasted secret； but at least in that secret was hope。
In recognized science I saw only despair。
And at that thought all dread of this mysterious visitor vanished
all anxiety to question more of his attributes or his history。 His
life itself became to me dear and precious。 What if it should fail
me in the steps of the process； whatever that was； by which the
life of my Lilian might be saved！
The shades of evening were now closing in。 I remembered that I had
left Margrave without even food for many hours。 I stole round to
the back of the house； filled a basket with elements more generous
than those of the former day； extracted fresh drugs from my stores；
and； thus laden； hurried back to the hut。 I found Margrave in the
room below； seated on his mysterious coffer； leaning his face on
his hand。 When I entered； he looked up； and said：
〃You have neglected me。 My strength is waning。 Give me more of
the cordial； for we have work before us tonight； and I need
support。〃
He took for granted my assent to his wild experiment； and he was
right。
I administered the cordial。 I placed food before him； and this
time he did not eat with repugnance。 I poured out wine； and he
drank it sparingly； but with ready compliance； saying； 〃In perfect
health； I looked upon wine as poison； now it is like a foretaste of
the glorious elixir。〃
After he had thus recruited himself； he seemed to acquire an energy
that startlingly contrasted with his languor the day before； the
effort of breathing was scarcely perceptible； the color came back
to his cheeks； his bended frame rose elastic and erect。
〃If I understood you rightly；〃 said I； 〃the experiment you ask me
to aid can be accomplished in a single night？〃
〃In a single nightthis night。〃
〃Command me。 Why not begin at once？ What apparatus or chemical
agencies do you need？〃
〃Ah！〃 said Margrave。 〃Formerly； how I was misled！ Formerly； how
my conjectures blundered！ I thought； when I asked you to give a
month to the experiment I wish to make； that I should need the
subtlest skill of the chemist。 I then believed； with Van Helmont；
that the principle of life is a gas； and that the secret was but in
the mode by which the gas might be rightly administered。 But now；
all that I need is contained in this coffer； save one very simple
materialfuel sufficient for a steady fire for six hours。 I see
even that is at hand； piled up in your outhouse。 And now for the
substance itselfto that you must guide me。〃
〃Explain。〃
〃Near this very spot is there not goldin mines yet undiscovered
and gold of the purest metal？〃
〃There is。 What then？ Do you； with the alchemists； blend in one
discovery； gold and life？〃
〃No。 But it is only where the chemistry of earth or of man
produces gold； that the substance from which the great pabulum of
life is extracted by ferment can be found。 Possibly； in the
attempts at that transmutation of metals； which I think your own
great chemist； Sir Humphry Davy； allowed might be possible； but
held not to be worth the cost of the processpossibly； in those
attempts； some scanty grains of this substance were found by the
alchemists； in the crucible； with grains of the metal as niggardly
yielded by pitiful mimicry of Nature's stupendous laboratory； and
from such grains enough of the essence might； perhaps； have been
drawn forth； to add a few years of existence to some feeble
graybeardgranting； what rests on no proofs； that some of the
alchemists reached an age rarely given to man。 But it is not in
the miserly crucible； it is in the matrix of Nature herself； that
we must seek in prolific abundance Nature's grand principlelife。
As the loadstone is rife with the magnetic virtue； as amber
contains the electric； so in this substance； to which we yet want a
name； is found the bright life…giving fluid。 In the old gol